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Taliban’s Stance Is ‘Main Obstacle’ In Way Of Peace

A day before the Moscow peace talks start, between Afghan politicians and the Taliban, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said he sees Taliban’s stance as the “main obstacle” in the way of achieving peace as, according to him, the group consistently refuses to hold face-to-face talks with the Afghan government. 

Abdullah, who addressed reporters in Kabul on Monday, said there are two fronts at this juncture: the peace front which he said are the people, government and political parties who want peace; and the war front, who are groups like Taliban, al-Qaeda, Daesh and others. 

“They (Taliban) are not ready for talks with the government and the people of Afghanistan and they are wasting time and have the mindset that their position will be strengthened as they see that the talks are ongoing in different places,” Abdullah said referring to recent talks in Qatar and this week’s talks in Moscow. 

A large group of Afghan politicians will meet the 10-member Taliban delegation in Moscow on February 5 and 6 to discuss the future of the peace process, a future government after an agreement on peace and other relevant issues. 

In reaction to Moscow talks, Abdullah said efforts for peace is the right of every Afghan citizen but insisted that personal treatment should be avoided in this respect.

He said Taliban will become more “stubborn” if government’s role is ignored in the talks.

“If we, based on any reason, ignore government’s role, it will only help the Taliban, who have already shown stubbornness towards the Afghan people’s fate, to become more stubborn,” he said.      

He talked in detail about issues around peace and rejected the reports about the establishment of an interim government as a result of peace negotiations.

“When we (Afghan government leaders) speak out about an interim government it is assumed that we are in power and we are talking about our position... I want to assure the people that nothing is a bigger priority than peace,” he said. 

Abdullah indirectly pointed at Pakistan by saying that a country in the region thinks there should be a “puppet or a weak government” in Afghanistan, adding that “it is a problem which we have not been able to find a solution to so far and a solution for it has been beyond our ability because the condition, by them, is not acceptable for Afghans”.

US Troop Withdrawal 

Abdullah, who is part of the government of national unity brokered by US following controversial elections in 2014, said the world would not end if the United States withdraws part of its troops from Afghanistan. 

US President Donald Trump has said that he will withdraw a “significant” number of his forces from Afghanistan. However, in his recent remarks on this decision, Trump said he will keep “intelligence forces” in the country.

“If it is decided that part of the foreign forces will leave Afghanistan, would it be the end of the world for Afghanistan? No!,” Abdullah said.

The United States has 14,000 troops in Afghanistan. Reports indicate that President Ashraf Ghani has sent a letter to Trump to slow down the withdrawal of the forces while offering him a cut in the costs.

However, Abdullah said the US forces are in Afghanistan based on the South Asia strategy and in accordance with the situation on the ground in the country.

Abdullah said the issue of a permanent base of the US forces in Afghanistan has “never been considered” and that there is no agreement in this respect. 

Taliban’s Stance Is ‘Main Obstacle’ In Way Of Peace

Abdullah says Taliban has often refused to talk to government and the people of Afghanistan. 

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A day before the Moscow peace talks start, between Afghan politicians and the Taliban, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said he sees Taliban’s stance as the “main obstacle” in the way of achieving peace as, according to him, the group consistently refuses to hold face-to-face talks with the Afghan government. 

Abdullah, who addressed reporters in Kabul on Monday, said there are two fronts at this juncture: the peace front which he said are the people, government and political parties who want peace; and the war front, who are groups like Taliban, al-Qaeda, Daesh and others. 

“They (Taliban) are not ready for talks with the government and the people of Afghanistan and they are wasting time and have the mindset that their position will be strengthened as they see that the talks are ongoing in different places,” Abdullah said referring to recent talks in Qatar and this week’s talks in Moscow. 

A large group of Afghan politicians will meet the 10-member Taliban delegation in Moscow on February 5 and 6 to discuss the future of the peace process, a future government after an agreement on peace and other relevant issues. 

In reaction to Moscow talks, Abdullah said efforts for peace is the right of every Afghan citizen but insisted that personal treatment should be avoided in this respect.

He said Taliban will become more “stubborn” if government’s role is ignored in the talks.

“If we, based on any reason, ignore government’s role, it will only help the Taliban, who have already shown stubbornness towards the Afghan people’s fate, to become more stubborn,” he said.      

He talked in detail about issues around peace and rejected the reports about the establishment of an interim government as a result of peace negotiations.

“When we (Afghan government leaders) speak out about an interim government it is assumed that we are in power and we are talking about our position... I want to assure the people that nothing is a bigger priority than peace,” he said. 

Abdullah indirectly pointed at Pakistan by saying that a country in the region thinks there should be a “puppet or a weak government” in Afghanistan, adding that “it is a problem which we have not been able to find a solution to so far and a solution for it has been beyond our ability because the condition, by them, is not acceptable for Afghans”.

US Troop Withdrawal 

Abdullah, who is part of the government of national unity brokered by US following controversial elections in 2014, said the world would not end if the United States withdraws part of its troops from Afghanistan. 

US President Donald Trump has said that he will withdraw a “significant” number of his forces from Afghanistan. However, in his recent remarks on this decision, Trump said he will keep “intelligence forces” in the country.

“If it is decided that part of the foreign forces will leave Afghanistan, would it be the end of the world for Afghanistan? No!,” Abdullah said.

The United States has 14,000 troops in Afghanistan. Reports indicate that President Ashraf Ghani has sent a letter to Trump to slow down the withdrawal of the forces while offering him a cut in the costs.

However, Abdullah said the US forces are in Afghanistan based on the South Asia strategy and in accordance with the situation on the ground in the country.

Abdullah said the issue of a permanent base of the US forces in Afghanistan has “never been considered” and that there is no agreement in this respect. 

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